The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-15
ROlANCE OF PETER NEY.
WAS HE REALLY NAP0LE0N'S
FAMOUS MARSHALL
His Body Exhumed for Evidence Of
The Fact, but None Was
Found.

FOunu.
THIRD CREEK, N. c., May IA
Several prominent physicians Of the
Salisbury section some time since de-
cided to exhume the remains Of
Peter S. Ney from their grave neal
this place for the purpose of ascer-
tanning whether they are those OF the
famous Marshal Ney, of France, who
commanded the Old Guard at Water
loo. OF all the romances which have
had their inception in North Caro-
lima this is one Of the greatest. In
1916 Ney appeared in this State. He
was a singular man, and from the
very first attracted attention, al
though he used all possible means 20
avoid publicity. He taught school
in Iredell and Rowan counties, and
among his pupils were men who
afterward became prominent. Ger
tain facts were ascertained about this
singular mau which fixed the belief
in the neighborhood that he was
really Marshal Ney, in spite of the
historical fact that Ney was duly
shot in Paris. For years the matter
has been discussed, not only here, but
ia all parts of the country and
abroad. Or. Lyman Draper, president
of the Wisconsin Historical Society,
has taken deep interest in the mat
ter, an in the past two years a great
deal has been written on the
subject. At the special request Of
DR.. Draper some of the most promi-
nent physicians of Salisbury agreed
to exhume the body and to make a
careful examination of the skull.
Marshall Ney's skull was trephined,
and if this skull was found to have
been similarly operated upon it
would be practically conclusive proof.
Among the pieces of evidence to aid
the assertion made ymany here that
Marshal Ney was this school teacher
was this: A Frenchman from an ad-
joining county who had been a soldier
under Marshal Ney and atterward
moved to America, was at a public
gathering in Statesville one day aud
recognized the school teacher as his
old commander. He threw up his
hands and exclaimed: Mon Dieu
Marshal Ney p Without demonstra-
ton, Ney called his name, and with
his right hand waved him off, placing
the index finger over his mouth, in
dicating silence. Both men soon left
the crowd and were atterward seen
in private conference. Four days
after the battle of Waterloo
Marshal Ney, in a speech be-
fore the Court of Peers, ad-
vised treaty of peace, and
publicly announced his determiua-
to go to America, thus showing his
attention was turned towards this
country. A gentleman who nursed
Peter Ney, and was with him in
death and at his burial, said today
that Ney was perfectly conscious at
the time and that he talked about his
wife and children, and stated several
times while on his deathbed that he
was Marshal Ney, and repeated it
not au hour before his death. In
dressing him for burial, he found
that Ney had been wounded on the
thigh, necs, side and wrist, and had
large scar, like saber cut, on the
head. Alter consultation, this day
was decided upon for the exhuma-
ton, and at an early hour the citi-
ems of the surrounding country and
neighboring towns began to come in,
and soon a large crowd had gathered
around the quiet little country
church. In the assemblage we're
many Of Ney's pupils, these being
old men now, their ages ranging
from sixty to seventy-fve years. At l
o'clock the physician in charge an
nounced that they had no pecuniary
interest in the matter, and that the
exhumation was merely in the inter-
est of history. When the grave was
opened nothing was found except a
few of the largest bones, some cofliu
nails and a small remnant of one
plank. The gentlemen in charge
made the following report:
The undersigned physicians wish
to state that, according to previous
notice, we did today cause to be ex-
humed the remains of Peter S. Ney,
in the presence of great many wit
nesses, some of them from Washing
ton, ID. c.; Raleigh, N. c., and other
parts of the country. We found
some of the bones only, and these in
a state of such decay that we cannot
state positively whether the skull
had ever been trephined or not. We
made dilIgent search for the bullets
said to have been lodged in the body,
but found none.
1--WE succeeded so far, however, as
to ascertain that the skeleton was
about five feet and ten inches long,
and the skull, around above the eyes,
about twenty four inches in circum-
ference"
This statement was signed by nine
of the most prominent physicians in
this section. The skull measured
seven and three fourths inches across
the forehead, and eight inches from
a point above the eyes to the rear of
the head. The right side was we'll
preserved, but the left, where the
wound was, had crumbled. All the
bones were returned to the grave.
Let this days work prove what it
may, it will be long time before
those straightforward and honest
people can be induced to change
their long cherished opinion that
their old teacher aud friend was any
othar than Marshal Nev